Around The Corner
by AlwaysShiny11
Summary: Castle is attacked my 3 men while on the way to a crime scene. Who is behind the attack? Will Beckett allow him back to the precinct after he recovers? Set season 5.
1. Chapter 1

AN: first story. hope it doesnt sound too cheesy.

He came around the corner with two coffees in hand, knowing that if Beckett didn't get her coffee she would be cranky and he would have to hear about it all day long. When he turned the corner he saw two shabby looking guys in an alleyway smoking some cigarettes. He was getting close to the crime scene and was already two blocks away from the crime scene when he heard footsteps following him. He sped up his walking speed . He was about to turn the corner when a hand grabbed him on his shoulder and pushed him up against the wall.

" Well how are you doing today?" A tall dark haired man said sarcastically. The man brought his arm back and punched Castle in the face he had a chance to defend himself.

"Lets get him." A dirty blonde headed man supplied to the left of Castle. The two men started punching and kicking Castle. He could see another man coming from behind the two men.

" Help.." Was all Castle could squeak out before he felt a sharp pain shooting through his stomach. The men didn't let up they were punching, kicking, and stabbing him repeatedly until they heard footsteps coming toward them.

"Scram!" The man with the knife said in aloud whisper. The footsteps began to get closer and closer before they stopped right in front of Castle. He could feel hands on him checking for a pulse.

"Help.." came out as a strangled whisper from Castle's mouth.

"HEY! I NEED SOME HELP OVER HERE! ITS CASTLE! WE NEED A MEDIC!" LT screamed. "I need some help about two blocks from the crime scene." he repeated into the walkie talkie for good measure. Soon enough Castle heard sirens and footsteps coming toward their location.

"CASTLE! CASTLE!" A pair of cool familiar hands wrapped around his face. "C'mon Castle stay with me!" Kate said a little edgy.

" Honey get back a minute I need to take a look at him," Lanie said gently pushing Kate away so she could examine Castle's condition. " Castle I need you to stay awake for me until the ambulance gets here." she said . Castle could faintly hear noises in the background and could feel Kate's hand wrapped around his. He tried to keep his eyes open but there was so much pain shooting through his body he could barely think straight. Lanie's hands were covering the knife wounds but it wasn't helping so she made Esposito give her his jacket to apply pressure so he wouldn't bleed through.

"Stay with me Rick." Kate pleaded. Her grip grew tighter on his hand. She touched above his eyebrow where it was cut from his attackers punching him multiple times. The sirens in the background grew louder. "They are almost here just hang on." She said with hope in her voice.

A few moments later the ambulance came. "Ladies I'm going to need you to step back we can get him on the gurney." The ambulance worker said. They stepped back, but as soon as they were done Kate grabbed Castle's hand.

"I'm coming with him." She said a little possessive. Once they were loaded up the drove off to the hospital.

AN: Please Review(:


	2. Chapter 2

AN: thanks for the reviews guys!

Disclaimer: Still don't own castle.

The way to the hospital was a big blur for Kate. The paramedics were putting on Castle's oxygen mask, trying to give him pain meds, and making the bleeding stop. She had blood all over her hands from where she helped Lanie cover the wounds on Castle's torso. Kate had demanded that she go in ambulance with him. The medics just looked at her skeptical and nodded . They could tell she was close to having a break down. She had ignored them and jumped in the back.

They were halfway to the hospital when Castle removed his mask and said, "Kate….I-" The paramedic put the mask back over his face.

"Keep that on so you can breathe." The other medic said sternly. Castle tried to shoot an evil look, but it hurts so much all he can do is let the medic put it on and lay back. There is so much pain shooting through his body he can hardly keep his eyes open.

Then it goes dark, his eyes close and the medics are rushing to check on him. "He's losing too much blood we need to get there faster." One of them say.

"C'mon Castle stay with me." Kate said emphasizing her words with a tighter grip on his hand. Her other hand that was latched onto the steel bench was beginning to turn white. "C'mon Castle, hang on a couple more minutes." Trying to hold back the tears of seeing him lying on a gurney with blood stained clothes.

"Lets strap him down and ready for exiting the ambulance." One of the paramedics said. The gently placed a strap across his chest. Less than a minute later they arrived at the hospital. The paramedics got Castle out of the ambulance, Kate still in tow, and rushed him to the hospital. They were greeted with a doctor immediately. He told Kate she had to wait out by the nurses desk and that they would give updates as soon as possible.

Kate was left alone with her thoughts. All she could think of was how pale and bloody he looked laying against that brick wall in the alleyway. Another image popped in her head, the faithful image of her mother in almost the same exact position as Castle was. The only difference was one of them survived the attack the other didn't. She felt hot trails of tears falling down her face, she quietly sobbed a few moments before she felt a hand touching her shoulder. Lanie stood over her friend with unshed tears in her eyes .

"Did you call Martha and Alexis?" Lanie questioned .

" No can you get Espo or Ryan to do it?" Kate replied through her sniffling.

"Sure honey, are you going to be okay?" Lanie said after telling Esposito to call Martha and Alexis.

" I could have lo. . .lost him. And I would have never known about it." Kate was crying again. She put her head on Lanie's shoulder. " I can't lose him Lanie." Kate said trying to find comfort within her friend.

" You're not going to lose him he loves you too much to give up Kate. He is going to be okay." Lanie said confidently. Kate just nodded and sniffled

Martha and Alexis showed up five minutes later. They were hugging and crying right a long with everyone. Twenty minutes later the emergency doors swung open. Everyone stood up.

"Richard Castle's family.?" the doctor called out


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry about the slow update. Thanks for all the reviews and follows. Tell me what you think

They all stood up. Alexis, Martha, Kate, Lanie, Ryan Esposito, and even Jim, who had showed up when his daughter had called him on the verge of crying telling him what had happened to Castle.

" Okay, how about immediate kin?" Everyone except Martha and Alexis sat down. "Mister Castle suffered from many stab wounds to the abdominal region, 4 broken ribs, and a mild concussion ." The doctor said. "He is out of surgery. You can see him as soon as we get him settled in his room. He is not awake yet because of his pain medication. Once he is settled a nurse will com and guide you to his room, but only two at a time." The intercom came on signaling that the doctor was needed elsewhere. " Contact a nurse if you have any questions." And with that the doctor left.

It was still mid day but everyone was emotionally drained. " Well we are going home Beckett, I called Gates and told her what had happened she said we had the day off, but tomorrow we have to get to work on our own case." Ryan said. " Jenny and I will come back tomorrow sometime to check and see if he is awake."

"You should go home too Beckett. You need to rest, or at least change, You might scare him to death if you go in looking like that." Esposito said trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work, Beckett just stared down at the floor with her head in her hands. Ryan slapped him upside his head and mouthed 'dude.' with wide eyes. " We will be back tomorrow. Try and get some rest guys." Espo said apologetically. Lanie left with them leaving Jim, Kate, Martha, and Alexis.

" Katie are you going to be alright?" Jim asked with concern in his voice. Kate just nodded. " Well okay, I am going home. Call me if you need me for anything." He said saying the last part to them all of them. And with that Jim walked out of the hospital. No one said anything. The three ladies sat there with tension filling the room. Alexis was the first to interrupt the silence.

" What happened to my dad?" The young girl said with a hint of anger in her statement.

" I don't know. We heard LT screaming for help. He was supposed to be canvassing the area to look for our victim's wallet in near by dumpsters. I turned the corner and he was laying on the ground bleeding." Kate said coming up to meet Alexis with watery eyes. Alexis immediately felt sorry fro being harsh with the detective. "This is all my fault. If I wouldn't have dropped at that coffee shop he wouldn't be in that hospital bed." Martha had heard enough.

" Katherine Beckett! Don't you dare blame yourself for what happened. You are acting just like Richard did when you were in the same position. Now stop if he heard you talking like this he would say the same exact thing I am about to say. You did not do this to him. The people that stabbed him are held responsible for what happened in that alley." Martha ranted.\

" I'm sorry." Kate said in a small timid voice.

" I don't know whether you apologizing for what happened to Richard or for blaming yourself, but either way there is no need for it." Martha replied. At that moment a nurse rounded the corner . They all stood and looked on anxiously for what she said.

" Family of Richard Castle?" They nodded. " He is settled in his room. So which of you guys will be visiting first?"

" They will." Kate said before they could reply.

" Alright well you can come too, but will have to wait outside his room." The nurse said. They were led to Castle's room. The two redheads went in first. Kate was left with her thoughts. Many things passed through her brain. _Was it just a random attack? Who was behind it? Why did this happen to him? _A half hour later Martha and Alexis stepped out of the room with tear streaked faces. They gave a small smile and said they were heading home and would come back tomorrow to see if was better.

'Okay lets do this' Beckett thought to herself**. **She entered the room with caution. She didn't want to wake him even if he was probably knocked out because of the drugs. She went in and sat in a chair next to his to his bed. She grabbed his hand and said, " I'm sorry I let this happen Castle. I should have waited for you instead of going to the crime scene without you. If I had maybe this wouldn't have happened." Tears flowed down her face. She tried to make them quit because she had to stay strong for him. She thought about what Martha had said about blaming herself. All she could think about was the what ifs. _What if she never got to hold his hand again? What if she never got to kiss him again? What is she never got to hear his laugh or see him smile?_

She out those thoughts out of her head. She stayed a few minutes later just to feel the warmth of his hand in hers, and listen to his heartbeat. All of those things reassured her that she had not lost him yet. With a final kiss on his forehead she said, " I love you." She thought to herself that maybe one day she would be able to say them to him when he was not asleep or unconscious.

"**Kate. . ."**


End file.
